1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a taste modifier and a method of modifying taste. More particularly, the present invention relates to a taste modifier comprising a flavone derivative as an active ingredient, and a method of modifying taste which comprises adding an effective amount of the taste modifier to products used in a mouth or orally ingestible products.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, flavones are known as substances having bitter taste.
Various efforts have been made for modifying sourness, saltiness, sweetness and flavor, or body, deliciousness or savor associated with the combination thereof in products, such as foods, cosmetics, drugs or quasi drugs.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-138363 (1983) discloses a method that wherein an amino acid, such as proline, aspartic acid and glutamic acid, is added to citrus fruit drinks containing a dibasic or tribasic acid for modifying the sourness. However, problems remain with the addition amino acid in that unpleasant aftertaste remains; the color of products is changed from yellow to brown by browning reaction in the presence of glucose, fructose or other reducing sugars; and unpleasant smells are present with elapsing time.
As for modifying saltiness, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 50-13568 (1975) discloses that a sweetner such as glycyrrhizin and dihydrochalcone can be added when processing foods. Also, a method of modifying saltiness by adding a seasoning, such as glycine and sodium L-glutamate, has been proposed.
In order to modify the sweetness, a method of changing the type of sugar used a method of adding a high magnification sweetner, such as Stevia extract and Aspartame (trade name), and a method of adding sugar alcohol, such as xylitol, have been proposed. However, such methods have drawbacks of causing the browning reaction and significant changes in physical and chemical properties, such as gravity and osmotic pressure. As a result, these methods can be used only in limited conditions.
Conventionally, a seasoning or fruit juice is added for enhancing the savor of foods. However, such addition of fruit juice is disadvantageous because it causes a person to taste or smell the seasoning or fruit juice as strange taste or smell.
In order to enhance the flavor, for example, to provide a refreshing flavor, menthol or menthol-containing essential oil, such as Japanese mint oil, and peppermint essential oil is added to chewing gum or refreshing drinks. However, the addition of such menthol or menthol-containing essential oil has a problem that bitter taste or stimulative smell is enhanced when the added amount is increased to enhance the refreshing flavor.
Alternatively, acetic acid or an acetic acid-containing fermented product is added to foods, cosmetics, drugs or quasi drugs for adding the sourness or modifying a storage property. However, when acetic acid or an acetic acid-containing fermented product is used for these purposes, the stimulative smell associated with acetic acid is adversely enhanced in accordance with the increase of added amount. Further, since some natural extracts such as karaya gum originally contain acetic acid, the smell of acetic acid associated with the use of such extracts gives an unpleasant effect on quality of taste.
The inventors of the present invention have studied for modification of the quality of taste by modifying various tastes contained in products used in a mouth or orally ingestible products, and have found that a flavone derivative, which is conventionally known as a compound having a bitter taste and included in fruit, rind or leaf of citrus fruits, are effective for modifying various tastes, thereby achieving the present invention.